Tales of the Blades: The Fallen 'Arc'
by Lixie Lorn
Summary: This one is 'the Fallen', the tale of Ellen Kaosu Lorn, my favourite character EVER. Once more, rated T for gore and language, and an evil main character. Kind of.
1. Tales 2: The Fallen 1: Blood

Hiya people

_This is my favourite arc. This is…Chapter 1 of __**The Fallen. **__Enjoy._

Disclaimer-I Still do not own pokemon. Shame that. I do own all the characters of this story. Original idea of the Blademaster families belongs to me and Guard of the Twilight.

Tales of the Blade Chapter 2-Chap. 1 of the Fallen

Swords clashed. Sparks flew. In the ancestral home of the Lorn family, three masters fought. Six swords whirled through the air, almost too fast to see. The skills on display were incredible. The combatants were very different. One was a girl, not quite ten yet, and the others were a woman and a man. The girl had a slight resemblance to the woman. It seemed, for some reason, the adults were working together. It seemed, somehow, they were losing. They were spinning, leaping, ducking and striking, so fast it defied belief. But that's what the Blademaster families had always done. Defy belief. Suddenly, the girl jumped, one sword lashing out and knocking the woman's swords away, the other disarming the man in the same way. She landed, catlike between them, a sword held to each of their throats. She stood up, keeping the blades in place.  
"Relent, mother? Father?" said Ellen Lorn.

"Relent." they both agreed. Ellen drew back her swords, placing them in her belt. The two adults did the same, and they bowed.

"Come, Ellen. It's breakfast time." said Bethany Lorn. She nodded, and the group walked from the practice room inside.

Both of the girls looked similar. They both have long brown hair, and brown eyes. This was common among their family. They looked similar, but not as much as would be suspected. The man, Benjamin Lorn, had brown hair and blue eyes, and had little resemblance to either of them.

They sat down. Ellen seemed to be in high spirits. It wouldn't last.  
"Ellen." began Benjamin. There was an odd note in his voice, both serious and apologetic.  
"Yes?"  
"You know why you're here, right?" he asked, slowly.  
"Yes. The Lorn family needs it's chosen heir, so when you didn't have children, you asked my parents if I could be the heir." Benjamin nodded.  
"Yes, and my twin sister said yes, reluctantly." said Bethany.  
"Obviously." said Ellen. She was getting slightly worried. Where was this going?  
"Well, we have a child now. Your… brother, Felix."  
"So?"  
"Well," said Benjamin slowly. "Family tradition says that the eldest child of the most direct route becomes the heir. That's him, not you. Do you understand now."  
"Yes." said Ellen, her face dark. "I understand." she stood up, and walked from the room.  
"Ellen! This position is one of great responsibility! Your mother was glad not to be chosen and-" Ellen whirled round, eyes blazing.  
"A great responsibility I have been _raised _for since I was _five_. You should know. You did it. and now you say it was for nothing? At least do me the honour of understanding what you have done." with that, she stormed out of the room.  
"Should we go after her?" said Bethany. Benjamin hesitated.  
"No. Not now. When she comes back in. It won't be too long." he said.

It was.

Later that day, when it was starting to get dark, Ellen was roaming the gardens. She came upon a great obelisk, made of dark black stone. She sat in front of it.

And then she felt it. A wave of hatred for her and all her kind. But then…

It stopped.

And something… something touched her mind.

"**What are you, little one, to bear so much hatred to your own family?" **a voice asked, inside Ellen's own head.  
"I am Ellen Lorn, and my family has taken from me my purpose. My life. My _reason_." she said, bitterly. "I'll kill them for it." The voice made a noise which, if it was human, would have been accompanied by a raised eyebrow.  
**"You will? Can you? Are they not older, faster, more skilled than you" **it asked. Ellen nodded. Of course, she didn't mean it. Often are the times people threaten to kill their family. But they don't mean it. Who does? She didn't. But she was young. And angry.  
"I can. I can beat them both at once. Older, yes. Faster, more skilled? Not a chance."  
**"That is quite impressive. I am Nemezure. I can grant power beyond your wildest dreams…"** it said. Ellen smiled. "Then why are you here?" She could tell it didn't like that question. There was the noise of thunder in her head.  
**"I was sealed here long ago. By your family. They feared my power." **it said.  
"I don't." said Ellen.  
**"Then I will help you achieve your goals, if you wish. But do one thing, to prove your power." **Ellen looked up.  
"What?"  
**"Prove yourself. Kill them. Tonight. Bring their blood. Then you can release me and I will help you."**

Ellen nodded.  
"I will return." she said, and stood up, walking back towards the mansion. It was dark now. They were probably wondering where she was. They'd soon find out.

* * *

"Where is she?" said Bethany, worried.  
"I told you, I don't know!" said Benjamin, for what was definitely not the first time.  
"We should have gone after her straight away! This is _your _fault!" she shouted.

"No, it's both your faults." said Ellen. They jumped, and broke into relieved smiles.

"Oh, thank Mew you're back, where were you, and what in mew's name did you think you were doi-" started Bethany.  
"Shut up." said Ellen. She did, mostly out of surprise. Then they noticed Ellen's drawn swords, and the glint in her eyes. Benjamin realised first. He saw the intent in her eyes, the darkness, the betrayal, though whose he wasn't sure. Most of all, he saw anger, and hurt. He drew his own weapons and, realising what was happening, so did Bethany.  
"Ellen, don't make us do this." pleaded Bethany. Ellen just smiled and ran at them.

Swords clashed. Sparks flew.

"We can't kill her." said Bethany, barely blocking a powerful slash that would have opened her throat.  
"You're right, we have to capture her." said Benjamin, just dodging a lunge that would have skewered his heart. "If we can." But there was that thought in the back of their minds. They lost when they practised. What could make them win now?

Ellen jumped, one sword knocking Benjamins weapons out of his grasp, the other doing the same to bethany's.

Four swords skittered across the floor as Ellen landed, a blade to each of their necks.  
"Submit?" she said, a twisted grin on her face. Then she moved the swords just a centimetre outwards. Then they lashed inwards.

Two great Swordsmasters died that night.

* * *

"It is done." said Ellen.  
**"I am impressed." **said the voice.  
"Why? You didn't think I'd do it?" she said.  
**"No. I didn't."** it replied. **"Touch one hand to the stone." **it said. **"Then wipe some blood onto your other hand and do the same." **Ellen did so, and there was a mighty crack, a rumble of thunder, and a smell of sulphur, and the feeling of ageless evil.

Ellen screamed as a shadow came out of the Obelisk, without form, and shot towards her, moving into her. A blackness engulfed her entire vision, then stopped. Her vision returned.

In the clearing, there was an obelisk, cracked in two by some unknown force, and a girl, with brown hair and red eyes the colour of blood.  
"Well, that was strange." observed Ellen.  
**"It was."** came a voice from her head. **"We should leave."  
**Slightly disconcerted, she did so. A thought cam across her mind.  
_What about my brother?  
_**"He will be fine. It was foretold."**

* * *

Far away, someone sat bolt upright.  
"One of the five is free. Two of the Blademasters are dead." came the slightly childish voice of Mew, higher even than normal from terror.  
"The prophecy has begun." said Celebi, eyes wide open in fear. "Dark times are coming.

* * *

_Phew. What do you think? Ellen is my favourite character ever. Please Review. Flames fed to Ebony or fire types, hatemail laughed at, reviews joyously recieved and replied. But don't get used to these fast updates._


	2. Tales 5: The Fallen 2: Love and Demons

Hiya people

_Yep. Back already. I really like this/these story/stories. Probably because I get to write different stuff. And we're back with my favourite character, the psycho-bitch! Phew, long again._

Disclaimer-Don't own pokemon. Own characters. Share Blademasters. Read now.

Tales of the Blade Chapter 5-The Fallen 2: Love and Demons

"Why am I here?" wondered Ellen Lorn to herself.  
**"Because of the path you chose." **said the voice in her head. Ellen shook her head.  
"I chose nothing." she said quietly. She continued walking down the beach at Olivine City, wandering aimlessly.

But something was there, glinting in the sun. Small, red and silver.

What was it?

Ellen walked over to it.

It was an egg. It looked very close to hatching.

But what in Mew's name was it doing here? She picked it up, looking closely at it. It was definitely an actual egg.

There was a cracking noise.

"No way." said Ellen.

The egg started to crack open. A small birdlike head poked out.  
"Lat?" it said. It pushed itself out, destroying the egg completely.  
"No way… this isn't happening." said Ellen, suddenly struck by the fact that she had found a Latias egg seconds before it hatched.  
**"It is." **said the voice in her head. It didn't sound happy. The baby Latias was staring at her very oddly.

She began to glow.

Seconds later, Ellen was holding what looked like a human baby girl, wearing a white dress, with brown hair and blue eyes.  
"You need a name." said Ellen aloud. She thought for a second. "Gabrielle?" she said. The Latias smiled.  
"Gab… ri… elle…" she said, and went to sleep. Ellen was shocked. She'd heard that pokemon, especially legends, mature in strange bursts, but…

The voice in Ellen's head sighed.  
**"I assume this means we will be keeping the young one?" **it said. Ellen didn't need to reply. The voice sighed, and Ellen felt it reaching out.  
"What are you doing?" she said.  
**"Merely creating a link between us. I will not harm the child." **Ellen nodded.

In front of her eyes, the sleeping girl's hair brightened, changing from brown, through to a deep blood-red. The same shade as Ellen's eyes.

"And that is..?" she said.  
**"Heh. Merely a side-effect."** said the voice, amused.

Ellen sighed.

"What do we do now?" she wondered.

She carried on walking down the beach.

Eventually, she came into sight of Olivine. She saw something that made her think. Behind the lighthouse, a large mansion.

Ellen started to walk towards the mansion.

When she reached it, it was easier to see the large crest on the gates; a shield over a sword, with a large diamond pictured on the shield. The crest of the Verin family of Johto. Ellen walked in.

Someone came out to greet her.  
"Ellen!?" said Jonathon Verin. He looked closely at her, and Gabrielle.

"Is that a baby? It's not-" Ellen shook her head.  
"It's not what you think." she said, predicting his next question.  
"Then what is it?" he asked.  
"You wouldn't believe me." she told him. He laughed at that.  
"Try me. Come in." he said, opening the door.

* * *

Blades collide. Ellen is sparring with Jonathon.

Their families have always had a strong link.

"Ellen, you're doing very well. It's barely been half a year, and you're catching up to me." he says.  
"I try." she says, smirking.  
"Yay Ellen!" says Gabrielle. She already looks about five, and has done for a while. She acts it too. Legendary pokemon have really weird growth spurts.  
**"How long will it be before you kill him?" **says Nemezure, irritated. Still fighting, Ellen thinks back her reply.  
"I don't kill my friends."

"Can I have a go?" asks Gabrielle. They stop the fight.

"I don't know." says Jonathon. "How old would you say she is now?" Ellen thinks.  
"Technically? 'Bout half a year. Actually? About five." She says. He nods.  
"I agree. If you think she could, she could." he says. Ellen nods.  
"Gabrielle, come up here." she says. Gabrielle jumps up.  
"yes?" Jonathon fixes a small badge with the sword and shield emblem on her dress.  
"You are now an official student of the Defence Discipline." he said, smiling.

* * *

"Ellen, I'm proud to say that you have learnt everything I can teach you." said Jonathon. He reaches inside his cloak, and comes out with a new badge. It looks like the other, a shield over a sword, but it is edged in gold.  
"I can't give you the normal badge, as you aren't from our family, but this will have to do as your mastery badge." he hands it to her, and she pins it on her shirt, under her cloak, next to the winged blade badge of her Lorn mastery.

"What about me?" says Gabrielle.  
"You've only been training for half a year." says Jonathon. "Most people take a few years to get their first mastery."  
"Jonathon… I appreciate everything you've done." starts Ellen. He smiles.  
"You want to leave?" he says. She nods. "I understand. What about Gabrielle?" he asks.  
"I can train her in both styles." says Ellen. He nods.  
"in that case I only have one question left." he clears his throat, trying to think of the best way to say this. "You know about… your… parents, death, right?" she nods, slowly.  
"Do you know who did it?" she hesitates.  
"Yes." he nods. Then he thinks of something.  
"Did you do it?" She gasps slightly, putting one hand on a sword.

"Yes." he nods slowly.

"I thought so. But now I know, I can't help you anymore. That's why I didn't ask until you were leaving. If I see you I will have to try and catch you." She nods.  
"I understand." and walks away, taking Gabrielle.  
**"You told him! You idiot!" **says the voice. **"Kill him! Quickly, before he tells anyone!" **She gets a little annoyed.  
"I told you, I don't kill my friends." she says.  
"Ellen, who are you talking to?" says Gabrielle. Ellen has no idea how to respond.  
"Umm… well, I'm kinda… possessed." she says.  
"Oh."

"What does that mean?"

* * *

"I'm bpred." mutters Ellen to herself.  
**"Well, you can always kill someone."  
**"Killing isn't fun."  
**"You know you've enjoyed it."  
**"That's because I hated them."  
**"Well, there must be other people you hate."  
**Ellen thinks of her hometown, Saffron City. So many people there she hates.  
"Yes. I know people I can kill."

* * *

"Many people have been killed in a Saffron City housing estate. This area contains higher cost homes, in the vicinity of the abandoned Lorn mansion. The killers are currently on the run. Two girls, one about thirteen with red eyes and brown hair and one about five with blue eyes and bright red hair. Do not underestimate them, they are armed and very dangerous."

* * *

"Mew?" said Celebi.  
"Yes?" she replied.  
"EWllen's killed people. In Saffron." Mew sighs.  
"Are you sure we shouldn't do something?"  
"We can't interfere with this prophecy. Too much is at stake."  
"But… doesn't she come for us?" says Mew. Celebi grimaces.  
"I know exactly what to do there." he says.

* * *

It was only the day after that they came.  
"You." said a voice. Ellen ignored it.  
"Look at me now." said the voice. She ignored it. She heard the sound of a gun being cocked at her.

She stood up, turned around and knocked the gun away in one lightning fast, fluid movement. She was looking into the eyes of a very surprised man, about twenty to look at him. Standing behind him was a woman, looking even more surprised. Ellen walked backwards a little. Gabrielle was there, giggling a little.  
"What do you want?" said Ellen, sitting down and not looking at them again.  
"You killed our friend." said the man, still slightly shocked.  
"I killed a lot of people." she said, not quite believing it herself.  
**"You should be proud. You spilled a lot of innocent blood." **said the voice, like white-hot iron on her soul. She didn't respond to it.  
"Our friend was special. She was one of three of us… unique people."  
"Oh?" Ellen replies.  
"I am death." says the woman.  
"I am war." says the man.  
"You killed our friend, chaos." the man says.  
"And?" says Ellen. "Does that make me special?" she asks. They hesitate.  
"Yes. For a start you managed to kill him. And… the killer of any one of us gains the power." says the woman. Ellen smirks.  
"Does that make me chaos?" she asks.  
"Yes." say both of them at once.  
"Chaos…" she says. She thinks. "Kaosu, in the old language. Ellen Kaosu Lorn… I like it." Gabrielle is wide eyed. She thinks of a question.  
"What is the ancient language?" she asks.  
"A very old language. I can teach you if you like."  
"Yay! Ok. Kaosu… kao!" Ellen smiles.  
"Kao… I like that."  
"You should come back to our place." says the woman. "Our organization headquarters." Ellen nods. The man shoots Ellen a look of pure hatred.

* * *

The woman had gone to bed. So had Gabrielle. Ellen was looking around with a very angry man. Ellen suddenly turned around to him.  
"You don't like me, do you?" she said suddenly. He was surprised, but gathered himself.  
"No. You killed my best friend, and I'm expected to like you because that means you join us." Ellen smiles.  
"I'm sure there are ways I can persuade you…" she says, moving closer to him. He realises what she means, and smiles.  
"I'm sure there are."

"My rooms down there."

_End of chapter two of the Fallen. Yes, they have sex. No, she's not about 10. She's TECHNICALLY 11, actually closer to 15. (Will be explained next chapter)_

_Buhbye! REVIEW!! Or Gabrielle and Ellen (And Nemezure) get told where you live and told you come from Saffron._


	3. Tales 8: The Fallen 3: Power

Hiya people

_Speaking of Ellen, guess what arc it is now? Yep, you guessed it. Beginnings!  
Nah, kidding. Fallen. My favourite. I wouldn't skip it for a bad joke…_

Remember,  
**"Someone who's possessed and is under the demons control speaks like this."  
**_**"A demon's voice sounds like this."**_

Knowledge _is_ Power.

Disclaimer-See previous chapters. (Go for chap 1, I have a feeling I forgot last time.) Combiomorphs belong to pikachuhunter1. Be nice to her. :)

Tales of the Blade Chapter 8-The Fallen 3: Knowledge and Power

"Hey! Baka!" yells Ellen.  
"What?" says the man.  
"I challenge you to a duel. You know, for practice." she says.  
"Yeah, alright then. We have a training room. I'll meet you there in a few minutes." he says, smiling at her. "And pick up Janine."

* * *

"Ok then. We will begin." he says. "But I should warn you, I know two styles." he says proudly. Ellen snorts as he shows two silver edged badges. Silver? That's barely Warrior level. And they weren't even from one of the five main styles.

Ellen opened her cloak, showing off her two gold rimmed badges. He gapes.

"Begin already." says Janine. They draw their swords, attacking.

Within two strikes Ellen had disarmed him and cut his throat.

Janine gaped.

"And I didn't even know his name." smirks Ellen.

"What the hell? I'll kill you!" yells Janine, drawing a sword of her own.

Within seconds, she lies in a pool of blood on the floor.

"_**I thought you didn't kill your friends?" **_asked Nemezure.  
"They're not my friends." said Ellen. "Smug bastards."  
_**"Then why did you..?"  
**_"Gotta try it some time." said Ellen.  
The demon smiled to itself.

"It's time to spread chaos." she said.  
_**"And war, and death. Don't forget them."  
**_"I suppose that is me now." she said. A flicker of doubt crossed her face. Then it was gone.  
"And war. And death."

* * *

"Greetings." said Ellen.  
"Who the hell are you?" said the man in front of her, a scientist wearing a white lab coat with an 'R' emblazoned on it in red. "How did you get past security?"  
"Those idiots?" said Ellen. "They weren't even worth my time."  
"Done it Kao-sama. Hiya!" said Gabrielle, walking in with a bloodied sword.  
"Thank you hime." said Ellen. "Now, I have a proposition for you." she said.  
"What?" said the scientist, still slightly shocked that two elite rockets had been killed by what looked like a five year-old girl.  
"You are the doctor in front of the pokemorph experiments, aren't you?" she asked.  
He nodded.  
"Well, I think I can help you improve their abilities." she said. She walked over to one of the control panels.  
_**"Press that. No, forget that. Let me do it."**_ she did. She tapped a series of keys, pulled a few levers and then clicked on 'initiate'.  
"What are you doing?" said the scientist. Ellen became herself again.  
"By combining specific genetics from the changelings, the pokemorphs can gain the ability to become fully either pokemon or human." she said. "That's just a start. Now will you accept my help?"  
"Yes." said the scientist. "My name is Io."  
"Well then Io. This is what I've come to give you. The abilities of one pokemon are powerful, but what if there was a way of combining two?" she asked. "Add that into the pokemorph mix and it will be incredibly more powerful."  
"Two or more pokemon… some kind of… combiomorph!" he said, catching on.  
"Yes. For example, a Scyther-Machamp cross could have four sword-arms."  
"Excellent. But, this is purely untested. Who shall we try it on?" he asked.

Ellen smiled.

"Me."

* * *

"It's ready." said Io. "You should get into the operating chamber." he said.

Ellen tapped a couple of keys to decide on the pokemon, and then entered the chamber.

The door closed behind her.

There was a series of agonizing screams, and then silence.

"Has it worked?" said Io.

"Oh, it worked." said Ellen, stumbling from out of the chamber.

"Can I see a test?" he asked. Ellen smiled. She began to glow, like an evolving pokemon, and then the light grew, to a larger size, almost half again as tall.  
One arm changed into a sword like blade, in a black and purple colour, the other changing into a paw-hand _thing_.

When the light faded, Ellen snorted with laughter, and a ring of purple flames spurted out from her furred neck.

She looked part human, part Gallade, part Typhlosion. The whole was terrifying, regardless of the fact that it was all in a black-purple colour

"Typhlosion and Gallade? Interesting results." said Io, scribbling down a description.

"I thought so." said Ellen, returning to normal. "I'll leave now." she said.  
"No! In barely a week you have improved our operation so much…" he said.  
"Oh, and who's going to stop me?" she laughed.  
"I hoped you would see sense…" said Io. "But if it has to be like this, then we can't allow you to leave." he said. A huge group of rocket soldiers entered, all with guns. She laughed, changing into her combio-form with a flash.  
"Shall we?" she said.  
_**"We shall."  
**_"Hellfyre Wave!" she shouted, making up a name for her technique as she used it.  
Io dived behind a machine as Ellen was silhouetted in flames, which blasted out in a continuous wave of black and purple fire.

When, after a few minutes, she finally stopped, only ashes remained of the rockets. The lab was in ruins, the walls melted ant the wires inside utterly destroyed. Io was cowering behind a half melted console.

Ellen returned to normal.

A bullet was fired from behind the door. One of the rockets had hidden around the corner.

Ellen held up her arms in front of her. A green field appeared.

The bullet blounced off.

Ellen smiled.

"Ooh, Protect. That might be useful. Let's see… Fireball?" she said, making a throwing motion.

The rocket fell to the floor, dead.

Ellen walked out of the base laughing.

"Either Giovanni will kill me for the destruction of the lab or promote me for surviving with the knowledge of how to make more like her." said Io. He sighed.  
"It's about fifty-fifty."

* * *

_Heh. She's losing whatever sanity she had. Being possessed can do that.  
I'm considering writing a 'deleted scenes' fic for Tales of the blade. It will contain lemons and any other thing I think relevant that I can't do in T._

_Nah, even I don't believe me when I say that. Lemons. Probably just them. Should I do it? Oh, and REVIEW! Pretty please..?_


	4. Tales 12: The Fallen 4: Partnership

_Welcome back! Sorry abut the update wait. Once again, my computer's fault. Anyhoo, enjoy the next chapter of the Fallen. Ellen is back. Yay._

Disclaimer-See Chapter 1.

Tales of the Blades Chapter 12-The Fallen 4-A Strange Partnership

An explosion rang out.

The side of the rocket laboratory fell out from the energy. The power lines running away from the reactor sparked.

The remains of the reactor oozed noxious smoke.

One solitary figure walked calmly into the breach. One young, maybe 13, 15 year old girl, with long brown hair, and a pair of swords on her belt, and a cloak drawn around them.

She didn't bother with stealth.

A guard saw her, as he ran out to check what was up with the power.

She drew one sword, faster than the eye could see, and separated the guards head from his shoulders. She grinned, the last sight the rocket ever saw being her dark smile and smouldering, blood red eyes.

"_**And why are we here again?**_" Growled Nemezure.  
"Because I'm attacking Team Rocket. Don't want them starting a war." she said.  
"_**Why not?**_"  
"My job is Chaos. Not Good, not evil. Besides, more fun this way. Get more enemies." said Ellen.

"Kao-sama!" cried out Gabrielle, flying from inside the complex and changing back into her human form, a young, maybe seven year old girl with bright red hair. "I went in and found what you wanted!"  
"Good. Where?" asked Ellen.  
"This way!" said Gabrielle, darting back inside.

Ellen followed, trying to keep up with her energetic ward.

She skidded to a halt as a rocket guard attacked Gabrielle. And smiled as, with a shimmer of Dark energy, Gabrielle's own sword slashed through the soldier, trailing the energy of a Night Slash.

Gabrielle turned to Ellen.  
"Was that good?"  
"You did great, hime. Keep going."

It wasn't long before they reached a large chamber. The shattered hinges of a strong security door paid testament to the strength of Gabrielle's special attacks, just as the bodies of rocket's lying around showed her sword skill.

Inside were hundreds upon thousands of cages.

Ellen reached over to a large button, holding her finger over it. She stopped, addressing what seemed to be an empty room.

"Hello. You might know me, but I doubt it. I am Ellen Kaosu Lorn. It's my fault some of you are here. My creation of the combiomorph idea led to this. Another lab. Well, you can leave. Feel free to return to your homes. Though don't be surprised if your 'friends' betray you. They do that. Oh, and so you know, the laws say you are legally pokemon now. Enjoy." she said.

She pressed the button.

From the caged, hundreds of pokemon escaped.

Well, pokemon is a loose term.

Some were human, some pokemon, some a mix of the two, some a mix of more than one pokemon, some a mixture of human and more than one pokemon. Each one was different.

Ellen smiled.  
"It's done. Nice to start a mess and solve it. You know, complete."  
"_**Should have started a war. More death.**_"  
"I know you think that way. I don't. Not that much."

Ellen's… 'private' thoughts were interrupted by a quiet sobbing.

She paced towards the noise, finding its source in one of the small cells.

It looked like a human woman, with creamy-blonde hair.

"What's up with you?" asked Ellen.  
"I have nowhere to go." whispered the girl to herself. "My family think all these hybrids are disgusting. I can't go home."  
"Well," said Ellen. "Family can't be trusted. You only have three choices. Go home and hope they forgive you. Stay here and let the rockets have you. Or run away and hope the trainer who catches you is nice."  
"But… I can't bear to do any of them…" she whispered.  
"Well… I suppose you could come with me." said Ellen. "New life. Hell, new name if you want one." she finished.  
She rolled a pokeball towards the cage, and turned around.  
"Make your choice."

There was a short silence, then a whisper.  
"Call me Cassiel."

And then a bright red light.

Ellen picked up the pokeball, and she and Gabrielle left the shattered husk of the rocket operation.

_Any good, un? Hope so. Nya._

Kao-sama : Kao, Gabrielle's nickname for Ellen. Shortened form of Kaosu, meaning chaos. Sama is a japanese honorific showing deep respect to a superior.  
Hime : Honorific meaning princess.


	5. Tales 14: The Fallen 5: To Spread Chaos

…_MY FIC. I GET TO BREAK THE RULES.  
More Ellen._

Disclaimer-My canon is very weird, but not quite different enough for me to be able to say I own it. Pokemon isn't mine.

Tales of the Blades Chapter 14-The Fallen 5-To Spread Chaos

It was a good weak for miss Ellen Kaosu Lorn.  
On the Monday, she had captured a Pikachu-a Pikachu with a sarcastic streak a mile long.

"So what next, Ellen? World domination?" asked the Pikachu.  
"Nope." she said. "Just the spreading of pain, suffering, chaos, love, and freedom."

The Pikachu, name of Raphael, had been found by the Power Plant. This had sparked off a scheme in the young swordswoman's mind.

All she had needed was a pokemon who could swim.  
While walking on the beach, down at Cherrygrove, she had seen a pokemon on the surface of the water. Nothing normal, but an Ekans.

A sea Ekans. Rare, blue, without the ability to evolve, but with some limited water type moves.

Ellen had immediately done her best to befriend the pokemon, succeeding, using the best diplomacy she could muster. The happiness that Gabrielle demonstrated helped a lot in proving that she cared.

The sea Ekans was named Azrael.  
Ellen now had Gabrielle the Latias, Cassiel the Blaziken changeling, Raphael the Pikachu, and Azrael the sea Ekans.

She had everything she needed, but she wasn't quite ready to leave.  
She picked something out of a pocket.  
"Raphael." she said. "Do you want to evolve?"

The Pikachu stared at her. "Yes, please."

* * *

Half an our later, Ellen and Azrael were partway to their destination-The Orange Islands, where a certain Elite Four member was currently staying. The rest of the pokemon were inside pokeballs, that Ellen had recently modified herself.

Azrael was far faster than expected. It helped that Ellen, due to being part fire type, was safe from the ill effects of the cold water.

They arrived in just under a day of travel, broken by very little activity.  
Ellen thanked Azrael, and returned him for some rest.

She changed into a Typhlosion, drying off in an instant, and then back into a human, before walking into the village.

* * *

Lance, Dragon Master and Champion of Johto, safe in one of his personal houses, awoke to bright red eyes staring into his.  
"You're going to do exactly as I say." she said.  
There was a slight purple glow around her eyes.

"I'm going to do exactly as you say." he murmured back.  
"First, stop repeating after me. It's irritating." she said. "Second, you're going to be hatching a plot. A plot so large, it could change the course of history itself. More importantly, it will bring chaos."

* * *

"It's done, Ellen." said Lance.  
She sighed. The hypnotism had taken perfectly, he'd never remember who he used to be. Almost sad, he was a famously nice guy.  
She looked at the complicated machinery now at the heart of Lance's redesigned mansion.

She stepped forwards.  
"Does it do everything?" she asked.  
"Yes." said Lance. "This generated the carrier wave, it has a frequency that will shatter pokeballs. The special balls have been developed, we have hundreds already. That is where we pour the Attract energy into, the carrier wave will allow it to reach even Sinnoh."  
Ellen nodded.

"Thank you." she said. "I think I'll turn it on."  
"I'll be waiting for you so we can celebrate." said Lance, leaving.

Ellen smiled, and pulled a single lever.  
The energy hit her like a cannonball.  
She opened her pokeballs-modified to survive the wave-releasing Azrael, Raphael and Cassiel-Gabrielle was still inside. They stood there, looking a little uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" asked Ellen.  
"It's hard to resist." admitted Raphael.  
"Did I tell you to resist?" asked Ellen with a smile.

The three pokemon leapt upon her, as around the five regions began something that would one day be known as the Reversal. She was right, it would change the world.

* * *

A couple of weeks later, after the event had been solved by a certain actor, something odd was afoot.  
"You will bring us Ellen Lorn."  
"Yes, master."  
"Alive, captured."  
"Yes, master."  
"You will not fail."  
"I never will, master."  
"Good luck, Cronos."  
"I do not need luck."

* * *

_XD PLOT TWIST NO JUTSU._


	6. The Fallen 6: TIme is Out of Joint

_Mwahaha. Intellectual reference in the title there… can anyone get it? Hint: Shakespeare._

Tales of the Blades Chapter 15-The Fallen 6-Ever I Was Born to Set it Right

Like a shadow, Ellen stalked through the forest. She was confident she could find what she was searching for.

It had been a productive year for Ellen, one where she had applied herself to learning new skills-such as finding the heir to the Rofani family, learning the discipline and then killing him, and not to mention she'd gone back to the mansion, to get a certain item-but one in which she had noticed one very, very odd fact. She was aging at an accelerated rate-for no apparent reason. Bladesmasters always lived a long time, but Ellen was bitter. She'd lost her childhood for a dream stolen from her, and now her youth-her true youth, the first few years of it when everything is bright, and new-was slipping away.

There were only two beings capable of this. Dialga, the legendary Time dragon. Celebi, the 'Forest Pixie'.

Celebi, along with Mew, was considered the patron legend of the Blademasters.  
The legend was said to reside in the shrine deep inside the Ilex Forest.

Where she was headed at this very moment.

* * *

"Come out, Celebi." rang her voice. Her eyes flashed.  
"_**Hmm, going to kill the pathetic creature?**_**" **asked Nemezure. "_**Please tell me you are.**_"  
"I was considering it." she admitted. "But now you recommended it? Not a chance."

Judging your morals is easy when you're possessed. Do exactly the opposite of what they say. It's a good philosophy, if Nemezure was more talkative and Ellen actually followed it, it could have stopped a lot of pain.

There was a green flash, and the figure of a sad legend appeared in front of her. Celebi.  
"I was wondering when you were going to come." he said sadly.

Ellen drew her swords.  
"You knew?" she asked.  
"It was foretold." said Celebi.

Ellen shook her head in disbelief, and pointed the left hand sword at him.  
"Why are you messing with my age?" she said.  
"What?"  
"My age. I'm aging too quickly."  
"Oh…" said Celebi. "The time bubble around your brother's town…"  
"Time bubble? What are you doing to my brother?" she asked, angry.  
"He needs to be older. Dark time are coming." said Celebi. "And it affects his close relatives as well. It'll stop in-well, just a couple of years for you."

She scowled.  
"I don't like you." she said simply.

She leapt forwards with amazing speed.  
Celebi held his hands in front of him, and a bright green light formed.

Ellen vanished into it.

He blinked, seeing a gash in his stomach.  
"She's that fast…" he moaned. He teleported.

* * *

"What the hell?" said Ellen, standing up from the ground she had fallen.

She didn't recognise where she was, not at all.  
"Who's that?" came an oddly familiar voice.

Turning with lightning speed, she saw a group of seven figures. One looked oddly like Celebi, but human, with light green hair and darker eyes. Another, female with bright pink hair and blue eyes, who reminded her of Mew. And five others.

It took Ellen a moment. One, black haired blue eyed, with one larger sword and one smaller. Another, blonde haired, blue eyed with an overlarge sword on his back. The third, brown haired, green eyed with two perfectly mirrored weapons on his back-he reminded her of Jonathon. Fourth, a quiet man with black hair and eyes almost the same shade.

Fifth was a woman who looked exactly like an older version of Ellen, apart from the eyes. Where Ellen had blood red eyes, the woman had brown-like Ellen's used to be.

"Well well." smiled Ellen, as the demon in her head hissed in fury and shock. "Lauren Lorn, I presume."  
"Who are you?" asked Alan.  
"Looks like you, bitch." said Sam nonchalantly to Lauren.  
"Shut it before I kill you." said Lauren, without even looking at him.

"She doesn't feel right." said Alex quietly.  
Mew's eyes began to glow as she used telepathy.

She screamed in surprise as her mind found Ellen's, and within it a creature born of hate and malice. Directed at the seven beings in front of it-including Mew herself.

Mewe stepped back, falling onto her back as she backed away.  
"She's possessed…" she murmured in fear.  
"There's something odd… energy around her like the stuff I use to change time." said Celebi.

"Probably your daughter or something." said Sam, enjoying the idea that Lauren's descendant fell to the darkness. "Fits that you of all people have kids who fail."

Lauren hit him. Hard.

"Not quite." said Ellen. "Great, great, great by quite a ways granddaughter." she said,

Lauren's eyes went wide, and Sam's narrowed with victory.

Seeing it, Ellen added another comment.  
"I killed a Rofani a few months ago." she said, referring to the man she had tricked into teaching her.

Sam stared, searching for deceit in her eyes.

He found none.

He ran forwards with a scream of anger.

Ellen vanished, reappearing behind him, slamming the back of his head with the hilt of her sword.  
"You are so lucky that history says you have to survive." she said.

"Whereas you're from the future." said Lauren. "You don't matter."  
"Oh, nice to your family, aren't you?" smiled Ellen.  
"No family of mine." she hissed.  
"Bring it." said Ellen.

Lauren flashed forwards, swinging both her weapons at an incredible speed-one a golden metal, one a black.  
Ellen blocked them, throwing a counter at the same speed.  
Lauren blocked that too, shock registering on her face, as she noticed that one of Ellen's weapons was made of the same golden metal.

"Believe me now, great, great grandmother?" said Ellen.  
"I still have to kill you." said Lauren. "Chaos Blade."  
"Chaos Blade." echoed Ellen.

Within a second both of them had vanished and reappeared, and attacked over a dozen times-each one blocking the other.

After an entire minute, it was still a standoff.  
And then one blow got through.

One girl, brown haired, collapsed on the floor, two swords skittering away, with a large gash in her side.

The red eyes of the victor sparkled with glee.

A gree light struck her, as Celebi reversed the time magic holding her there.  
"…she lost…" said an astounded Alan.

James ran over to embrace Lauren, and say she was going to be fine.  
"I lost… to my own descendant… who's less than sixteen… and possessed." she said.  
"Well… at least you're going to be famous." said Mew brightly.

* * *

_Tadaa?_


	7. The Fallen 7: Love, Fire and Blood

_Hello. This update-Ellen again-is for Wolfie. Happy birthday! (Assuming I do it in time…)_

Tales of the Blade Chapter 16-The Fallen 7-Blood, Fire and Love

"Master, you asked I return here before I leave?"  
"Yes. You shall take charge of the most successful warriors of the project to hunt her down."  
"As you command, my lord."  
"Decado and Matahari would seem to be good choices."  
"Your wish, my command, sire."  
"Good, Cronos."

* * *

"You're doing well." said the woman calmly.  
"Thank you… sensei." said Ellen with a smile.

Something about that girl was wrong, thought Alicia. It reminded her of the third Cipher attack. Just… wrong. But, they had never turned away a potential student.

So this Ellen Woods-didn't believe that was her name, either-got her chance. And so did her 'little sister' Gabrielle. Something about this was fishy.

But after six months of training, she'd done as well as Alicia could teach her, by tradition.

And that was why the brown and red haired girls were waiting for her, the older girl-what was she, seventeen?-wearing a proud, arrogant expression utterly at odds with the Sonai families philosophy.

"Congratulations." she said. She gave both of them a small badge, the sign of the Sonai, a large sword, the other end pointed in a dagger as their traditional weapons were-and now, so was Ellen's plain sword-with a pair of slanted eyes around it.

Elllen bowed, something in the way she did it mocking. She drew the plain sword, holding it in both hands, in the Sonai grip. She gave a questioning look at Alicia.

Alicia understood, drawing her own, larger weapon. It was common for students to duel their masters, as a final test of skill. It showed arrogance, or at best confidence, in the student. Somehow Alicia had foreseen this.

The moment the blades touched, Alicia knew something was wrong. This wasn't a duel. Something told her this was more than a practice, something different from their training. Death was waiting in the wings.

She shifted into high gear. Whoever this girl was, she couldn't defeat a Blademaster.

Every one of Alicia's attacks failed-blocked by an almost mirror image, perfect Fear style combat reflected at her. She was almost frightened herself, it was the best display seen by anyone outside the family.  
She glowed, and an instant later she was a Lucario, and she went to strike the girl with a Force Palm.

There was a flash, and a black and purple Gallade-morph, blocked the attack with her sword, and struck her in the stomach in what could only be described as a Close Combat, the arrogant expression never leaving her face

Alicia cried out in pain, and scrambled up. The girl was inhumanly fast.  
"Demon Shroud." she said.

The form of a demon wrapped itself around her, wings, a pair of horns, a tail.

The girl laughed, changing back to her human form. But… different. Her eyes were a bright red. An illusion, for six months, fooling the subtle powers of the Sonai at their own game.

And with those eyes, there was only one person that girl could be. Ellen 'Kaosu' Lorn. The Fallen among the Fallen Angels.

"I'm not going to kill you." said Ellen, conversationally. "Nor is Gabri-hime. I like you."

Coming from anyone else, it would be an insult.

The illusion faded, Alicia saw four badges pinned to the cloak she wore. The Angel and Demon winged sword of Lorn, the sword and shield of Verin, the upturned weapon of Rofani, and, newest, the eyes and dagger-ended sword of the Sonai.

With her it was a statement of fact, and a true compliment.  
"Besides, you might die anyway." she said.

Alicia wondered what she meant, and looked down at her chest.

She was bleeding horribly from the wound caused by the Close Combat.  
She collapsed unconscious, seeing the girl place a hand to the side of her head, a green energy flowing into her.

* * *

"Recover." said Ellen, placing her hand to the side of the girl's head. The wound closed up mostly, leaving it painful, dangerous, but not fatal.  
"Yay! I liked her. I'm glad she's not going to die."  
"Then so am I." said Ellen happily.

Gabrielle smiled, and hugged her.  
"Thank you, Kao-sama!"  
"I think it's time for a good deed, don't you?" she asked. "We're going… to Johto again."  
"I like Johto."  
"So do it."

* * *

"This is one of the Rocket science bases." scowled Ellen. "Ever since I helped them, I realised how crappy they are. They needed my help to fix their 'designs'. Without me, their Pokeblood forces would be nothing."  
"You're the best, Kao-sama." said an adoring Gabrielle.  
"Aww." said Ellen, hugging her. "How did your time go, ages ago, when you were training with the others? Did you get those electric attacks down?"  
"Yeah! Raphael was really impressed!" said Gabrielle.  
"Well. Hit the building with a Zap Cannon." smiled Ellen.

The Latias-girl concentrated, her hair whipping with power as she formed a lightning sphere in her hands, her eyes glowing purple as she aimed psychically.  
"Hit the power systems." said Ellen quietly.

Gabrielle nodded excitedly, and fired the powerful attack.

It struck the building, electricity forcing its way into the network, destroying all of the circuits with a devastating overload.

"Good." smiled Ellen, teleporting them in.

* * *  
_New Point Of View  
_* * *

When I first saw her, she looked like an angel of war. She came in, splattered in blood, and killed every guard in the room in a matter of seconds.

She went to the first cage, shattering the lock with just a look.

To me, she was an angel. An avenging angel. The most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, for all I knew the best I'd ever see.  
I fell in love with her in an instant. Irrevocably, suddenly.

She got to the cage I was trapped in, gave me a sardonic smile, and gestured for the exit, before moving on.

I ddin't leave, when all the others were gone she saw me, just outside of my cage.  
Me? Uh, I'm brown haired. Fourteen. My name's Brandon Wolfe. I'm a Mightyena Morph, currently wearing a plain black t-shirt and jeans. Provided by those bastard rockets. They wanted me for their experiments. I know it sounds stupid, but they say it's easier to make combiomorphs from pokebloods.

They used longer words than that, but I can't even be bothered to remember what they were.

Anyway!

So, she turned, and looked at me, giving me an odd smile that didn't reach the bloodied eyes.  
"Why are you still here?" she asked.

"You… you're beautiful." I said, floundering with something good to say.

She laughed at me.  
"You're out of my league." she said.  
I might have been offended, but she then added to it, sadly.  
"No-one would ever want to be in my league."

She left in a flash of light.

* * *  
Normal  
* * *

Three figures at the door, staring at the space Ellen was moments before. One, male, with long white hair, wearing a yellow costume, almost like a jumpsuit. Another, black haired, blue eyed, pale skinned, wearing all black. And a third, a woman with black hair, dark eyes, tall, perfectly beautiful.

And there was one black haired boy looking back at them.  
"I won't tell you anything." he said, guessing their purpose.

"We're not asking." said the pale man, putting his hand on Brandon's head, a discharge of black and blue lightning crackling between them.

The boy collapsed.

"She teleported. We can track her trail." said the man.  
The woman laughed, her voice musical.  
"Well find Ellen Lorn easily enough." she said.

"Ellen Lorn…" said Brandon to himself.

A bolt of fire struck him in the face, knocking him unconscious.  
"Focus." said the white haired man. "Let's go."

* * *

_Dundundun. XD  
It may not be a nice first appearance, but still._


	8. Fallen 8: Oh Yeah Because I'm an Idiot

_Haio. Mention that I over-favour Ellen and I kill you. XD_

_SILENCE. I KILL YOU._

Disclaimer-Still don't own recognisable elements of pokemon. Nor do I own the title.

Tales of the Blade Chapter Seventeen-The Fallen Eight-Oh Yeah. Because I'm An Idiot

"Who are you?" said Alicia calmly, as the mere suggestion of three shadows appeared over her bed.

"Our names matter not." came a quiet voice from the first, a white haired man.  
"You trained a woman known as Ellen Kaosu Lorn." said the third, a drop-dead beautiful woman with red hair down to her waist.

Alicia sensed something was wrong.

In moments she had exited her bed, crouching in a fighting stance with her sword held in front of her, kept by her bed.  
She winced as her stomach twinged. The wound was not yet fully healed…

"Demon Shroud…" she muttered, an illusion forming around her, dark wings, flaming eyes, horns.

"Personally." remarked the third. "I have never been scared by a woman in a nightdress."

A wave of fear shot out, and the desire to break and run shot up in each of them, but was quashed mercilessly.

"We know your tricks." said the girl in a low voice. "All of them, every one."  
"You can't win this." said the white haired man softly.

"You can't hope to defeat a Blademaster." responded Alicia, shifting into her Lucario form, the demonic shroud remaining.

The second was forced to admit that the demonic Lucario was rather intimidating.

She leapt forwards, blurring. Every moment since her defeat at Ellen's hands had been spent training her speed.

"Blazing Wings." came the quiet voice-from behind her.

Before she could turn, the white haired man grabbed her, leaping for a wall. She felt him changing-but what into she couldn't tell, not from here.

She smashed into the wall, cracking it, and flames ignited around the two of them. The pressure kept up, driving her into the wall, as he began scraping her along it, along the first wall and the second, and the third, before pulling her off, leaping into mid air-where every single drop of heat in the fiery aura exploded into her.

She collapsed unconscious, after having failed, trying to defend the girl that she hated more than any other.

* * *

"Sinnoh." remarked Ellen, looking around. "Never liked the place."  
She smirked.

"But it's where my last discipline is."

She stopped. "Of course, first… I've always wanted a Milotic. To Mount Coronet."  
"Is Mount Coronet fun?" asked Gabrielle, cocking her head to the side.  
"If it isn't, we'll find an Onix or something to kill in it." smiled Ellen.

* * *

Five hours.

Five hours of searching the underground lake, and no Feebas, no Milotic.

Five hours before Gabrielle pointed out she could swim, and could check the lake in about five minutes.  
Ellen growled to herself.  
"Damnit."  
"Did I do something wrong, Kao-sama?"  
"No." said Ellen, sighing. "That was my own stupidity."  
"**Hmm, you've learnt something today. You're stupid.**"

Ellen stopped. "_You know, I'm sure I was taught how to use anti-demonic attacks_." she hissed to the voice in her head.  
"**Even you aren't stupid enough to do that.**" scoffed the voice.

"_Watch me._" she said. "Purity Wave."

Ellen wasn't sure why she chose then to get pissed off enough to do something that monumentally stupid. Nor did she know whether the technique would work.

Waves of rainbow coloured light radiated out from her. And then came back inwards.

She did know, however, that it was in fact, incredibly stupid.  
And the most painful thing imaginable.

Ellen and Nemezure's screams reverberated around the cavern, penetrating the top layers of the water, but fortunately not reaching Gabrielle.

Ellen slid down the wall, panting.  
"**You proved your point.**" growled Nemezure, a headache throbbing in both his and Ellen's minds. "**You can be an idiot.**"  
"Well, as long as you know." murmured Ellen.

They sat in silence, the demon remaining quiet to calm his aching skull, Ellen quiet for the same reason, until Gabrielle broke the surface, followed a few moments later by what was recognisable as a Feebas.

Shyly, the Feebas spoke.  
"She… she says you can make me beautiful."  
"I can't make you beautiful." said Ellen.  
"O…oh…"  
"To make you beautiful, you'd have to start as something else." she said.

The Feebas blinked. "I'm not even pretty…" she said.  
"Oh, you really are." smiled Ellen. "Look. Am I pretty?" she said.

The fish nodded.

"Is Gabrielle pretty?" she asked, pointing at the girl.

Another nod.

"What about these three? Cassiel is beautiful, Azrael and Raphael look like some kind of old-fashioned deities." she laughed, opening three pokeballs.

A third nod, as the Feebas wondered where this was going.

"See how Azrael's scales sparkle? How Cassiel's feathers almost glow, how Raphael has a tail so black it vanishes against the shadows?" she said, her language running circles around the pokemon. "I think I know about beauty." she grinned.

"I'm… beautiful?" said the small fish.  
"When you evolve, you become a Milotic, one of the most beautiful pokemon to exist. That Beauty doesn't come from nowhere. It's inside you." said Ellen, leaning down, earnestly. "All you have to do is believe it, and let it out."

"Believe…" the pokemon murmured.  
"Believe… I believe." she said.  
"I believe."

Light radiated from her.

"Welcome to my team, Ramiel." murmured Ellen, embracing the ecstatic, and utterly gorgeous serpent. "You might want to know… I'm really not a nice person. Not to anyone… except my pokemon."  
"I don't care." said the Milotic. Worship was in her eyes. "Anything for you."  
"Good." she smiled. "I need to find the Jaster mansion… in Hearthome, I believe."

* * *

"Hello." said Ellen, her eyes and much of her appearance hidden by what she liked to call a glamour. She appeared as a blonde haired, green eyed girl of fifteen. Beside her was Gabrielle, the only change in her appearance her red hair, a plain blonde.

Unfortunately, the Jaster family was much decreased at the moment. The branch families were all but empty, and the main family was tiny, and far too busy to take on students. She was having to settle for a man named Adam Teriyent, a skilled practicioner of the art of Discipline Swordsmanship. He was said to be as skilled as a true member, all but one of them. Rumours had it he was as close as a brother to the current heads.

Ellen looked forward to killing him.

"Hello, Miss… Jennifer, was it?" asked the man, blue eyes looking down her, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Black hair glittered, a lithe body, fresh from training waiting for her. "Come in, we can start right away. And your sister, Gabrielle?"

Maybe she'd sleep with him before she killed him.

* * *  
_POV change  
_* * *

"Um… Alicia, Alicia Sonai?" I asked.  
The girl looked at me, burn marks all over her and bandages across her stomach, visible under her clothes.

I stepped back.  
"What do you want?" she asked quietly.  
"I'm looking for someone called... uh... Ellen. Ellen Lorn." I said quietly.

There was a sound, metal slashing through the air.

Her hand was on her sword, which was now pointed at his throat.  
"Why?" she said.  
"Because… I think I love her…" I said, eyes downcast.

She blinked.

"I believe she is in Sinnoh." she said quietly, putting down the sword. "There are others who seek her, three. I cannot fight them… she may be able to. But there are few in this world who rival her. Few if any."

I gulped. They defeated a Bladesmaster, injured her this badly…  
The sensible thing to do was give up.

They say love is blind. What no-one ever thinks to tell you is that it's stupid.

* * *

_Done and done. One sitting. ^_^_


	9. Fallen 9: Relentless

_Well Hai!_

Disclaimer-Two of the villains are based on characters I do not own. Their names and appearances belong to their respective copyright owners. As does what little remains of the canon here.

Tales of the Blade Chapter Eighteen-The Fallen Nine-Relentless

"_We do not rest."  
"We do not sleep."  
"We do not show mercy."  
"We do not give second chances."  
"We leave no survivors."_

* * *

Ellen awoke with a jolt, covered in sweat.  
That was… strange.  
Not scary, no…. no… Ellen wasn't afraid. She was never afraid.  
But…

She looked right. Her erstwhile teacher was there-she'd finished today, and he'd finally accepted her advances.

The victory seemed hollow.  
There would be no joy for her in Hearthome, not any more.  
"Are you ok, Jen?" he asked, clearly awake. "You… you were shifting and turning for a minute there."

His hand rubbed tenderly against her side.  
Her hand went to his cheek, touching gently.

"**They're hunting you. Kill him. A flare from your palm, now. Painless. And you'll be safe.**" hissed Nemezure. "**The flames will melt the bone and boil the blood in an instant… beautiful.**"  
Ellen held her hand there.

It would take just a moment, and she could leave… no-one would know…

She'd know.  
"Just a nightmare." she said quietly.  
He went to kiss her cheek, and she flinched.  
"Something wrong?" he asked again.  
"Just… not used to this." she said, meaning the tenderness, the closeness.

"**Aww, you like him and he'd kill you if he knew who you were.**" mocked Nemezure. "**Kill him now. Save the pain later.**"

Ellen mouthed the words 'Fuck you.'  
She could have sworn she heard the demon roll his eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Adam, worried.  
Ellen nodded silently. He put his arm around her, and she put her head on his chest.

As soon as his breathing slowed, and he fell asleep again, she ghosted away from him, gathered her things, and left.  
A single tear was wiped from her face as she woke Gabrielle up, in the next room, holding a finger to the 'girl's' lips. Gabrielle nodded, standing.

"_Is he dead?" _she asked, curiously, via telepathy.  
"_No._" replied Ellen shortly. Even Gabrielle, who was certainly not an expert at understanding emotions and subtext, didn't follow it up.  
Gabrielle picked up the couple of things she had in a few moments, and nodded. They exited the room, running, silently, through the corridors, opening the door without a noise, and stopped dead still.

"We found you." said a white haired man.  
"No hiding from us." grinned a beautiful, red haired woman.  
"Today… I will taste blood, and you will taste defeat." said the black haired male, eyes growing bright.

Ellen froze. Her skin went pale.  
_Those were the voices from the nightmare._

"Give in now, and it will be easier for everyone." said the white haired one.  
"Hell no." growled Ellen, gathering herself together. She was the best swordsmaster _ever._

She wouldn't be affected by some crappy mind tricks and head games.

"Good." said the other male. "I've been looking forward to this."  
He drew a pair of short swords, one black, one gold.

Ellen was suddenly at ease.  
She could deal with swords.

She drew both the special, golden sword of hers, and the other, modified with the dagger point of the Sonai.

A mind touched hers.  
"_You are locked into this duel._" said the voice of her opponent. She knew him in that instant-his name was Decado. And she knew that he knew her.

She felt him spring forward, and instantly did the same.  
He was faster than he had any right to be-and she was faster than normal.

Something about the link made it harder. Faster. More dangerous.

And Ellen realised with a jolt, within the first touch of their blades, that he was her match.

She concentrated, drawing on the power of the Sonai-the Demon Shroud.

And before it was even fully formed, she knew that that too was useless. He exulted in the fear, fed on the risk, drew power from knowing that everything he thought, she knew, and everything she knew, he knew.

She moved on from mindgames. With a pair of diagonal slashes, she formed a blast of devastating energy-a Jaster technique. He flipped over it, seamlessly integrating the dodge into an overhead attack, which Ellen blocked, turning her defence into a pirouette, dancing around him and lashing out for the legs, simultaneously Shifting into her combimorph form.

Decado laughed in delight as she formed a sphere of black flames, launching them for him. They disintegrated in a flash of focussed might from the swordsman.

Ellen hissed, her back flaring up with purple flames.

"Hellfyre Wave!" she began.

A wave splashed over her. Water.  
She roared in pain.

Decado smirked, looking round at the female for a second, who had her hands up, as Ellen cringed in agony.

"_I… can't lose…_" she said to herself, in shock.  
"You just did." said Decado in amusement, holding his blades at her neck. "Submit?"

Her eyes flashed at the reference to her past-something he had no right to, yet she knew that was why he said it.  
She checked.  
There was no way out of the position she was in.

And there was a dark type aura surrounding the area. Stronger than she could deal with. She couldn't teleport.  
Maybe a strong psychic pulse into his brain..?  
But as she considered every option, they were blocked off, and the link shut.  
She was hurt… couldn't even hold up her illusion anymore. Her false appearance faded. Not that it had helped…

"Shadow IMPACT!"  
A black blur flashed into her opponent. He went flying, and a boy with brown hair, and green eyes, landed on hands and feet.  
It was the boy from the rocket base. Who had called her beautiful.

"Brandon Wolfe saves the day!" he boasted, grinning widely.

"…you're Ellen Lorn." came a voice form the house.

A chill went through Ellen.  
She turned.  
It was Adam.

She knew from his face that he'd seen her change.  
Her heart sank.

But he didn't have time to do anything.  
"Flamebreak." said the other man-the white haired morph. For a moment, rainbow coloured wings appeared on his back.  
Flame blasted outwards.

Brandon was knocked unconscious, Adam too.  
Ellen was burnt, but not knocked out. She was a fire type, after all…

Ellen was the best fighter to come from the Lorn family. Full stop. She outclassed her family, and likely all the others. And she did so with speed.

Yet she couldn't move in the time it took the white haired man to walk-more like flow-over to her, wings forming again as he lifted her into the air by the neck.

They floated to about a metre up.

"Phoenix Embrace." he whispered.

Her body lit up in an explosion.  
And everything went dark as she fell to the ground.

* * *

_She's not dead._


End file.
